Door County Land Trust Inc

OUR MISSION IS TO PRESERVE DOOR COUNTY'S EXCEPTIONAL LANDS AND WATERS FOREVER.

ACQUISITION - THE DOOR COUNTY LAND TRUST COMPLETED 3 CONSERVATION PURCHASES, 2 LAND DONATIONS AND 1 CONSERVATION EASEMENT AGREEMENT, PROTECTING A TOTAL OF 178 ACRES OF LAND IN 2021. THE CONSERVATION EASEMENT AGREEMENT PROTECTS PRIVATE HILLTOP SCENIC OPEN SPACE AND WILDLIFE HABITAT. THE PURCHASE OF A PROPERTY ON CHAMBERS ISLAND PRESERVES HABITAT ALONG THE ISLAND'S GREEN BAY SHORELINE, AND IT BRINGS THE CHAMBERS ISLAND NATURE PRESERVE TO MORE THAN 800 TOTAL ACRES PROTECTED. THE PURCHASE OF A CEDAR WETLAND PROPERTY AT GIBRALTAR EPHRAIM SWAMP PROVIDES A HAVEN FOR WILDLIFE AND PROTECTS THE QUALITY OF WATER FLOWING INTO GREEN BAY. THE FIRST-EVER LAND ACQUISITION BY ANY CONSERVATION ORGANIZATION AT STONY CREEK, THE PURCHASE OF A FORESTED WETLAND PROPERTY IN SOUTHERN DOOR COUNTY PROTECTS A HALF-MILE OF STREAM THAT PROVIDES HABITAT FOR BIRDS, OTTERS, AND OTHER WILDLIFE INCLUDING SPAWNING HABITAT FOR TROUT AND OTHER FISH SPECIES. THE DONATION OF TWO PROPERTIES ON WASHINGTON ISLAND PROTECT MATURE DECIDUOUS FORESTS, PROVIDE HABITAT FOR BIRDS, PROTECT A WILDLIFE CORRIDOR, AND HONOR THE LAND ETHIC AND LOVE OF LAND CONSERVATION OF TWO WASHINGTON ISLAND FAMILIES. THESE PROJECTS WERE SUPPORTED THROUGH FUNDING FROM COMPETITIVE STATE AND FEDERAL CONSERVATION GRANTS AND PRIVATE DONATIONS. ALL OF THESE PURCHASED AND DONATED PROPERTIES WILL BE OWNED AND MANAGED BY THE DOOR COUNTY LAND TRUST AS PART OF OUR NETWORK OF NATURE PRESERVES AND NATURAL AREAS AND ARE OPEN TO THE PUBLIC FOR RECREATIONAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS HIKING, SNOWSHOEING AND WILDLIFE OBSERVATION. THEY ARE AN INTEGRAL PART OF A LARGER CONSERVATION VISION TO PROTECT IMPORTANT, HIGH QUALITY, FUNCTIONAL NATURAL SYSTEMS THAT BENEFIT WILDLIFE, RARE AND NATIVE SPECIES, WATER QUALITY, AND OUR HUMAN COMMUNITY.

OUTREACH - IN ADDITION TO NATURE PRESERVES FOR OUTDOOR RECREATION, DOOR COUNTY LAND TRUST OFFERS EDUCATIONAL PUBLICATIONS, NEWSLETTERS, HIKING TRAIL MAPS, AND NATURE PHENOLOGY CALENDARS TO THE COMMUNITY THAT DEEPEN UNDERSTANDING OF ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND LEAD TO FURTHER PROTECTION OF NATURAL RESOURCES. IN 2021, 15,000 NATURE PRESERVE MAPS, 15,000 NEWSLETTERS, AND 4,500 NATURE CALENDARS WERE DISTRIBUTED TO THE COMMUNITY. VIDEO, WEBSITE, AND SOCIAL MEDIA OFFERED RESOURCES FOR THE PUBLIC TO LEARN AND ENGAGE. TREE GIVE-AWAY EVENTS DISTRIBUTED MORE THAN 2,000 NATIVE PLANTS FREE TO THE PUBLIC. VISITATION TO THE NATURE PRESERVES HAS INCREASED YEAR-OVER-YEAR AS PEOPLE SEEK SAFE SPACES TO GATHER AND RECREATE OUTDOORS.

STEWARDSHIP - THE DOOR COUNTY LAND TRUST MAINTAINED MORE THAN 25 MILES OF NATURE PRESERVE TRAILS WITH THE HELP OF VOLUNTEERS. STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS COMPLETED ANNUAL MONITORING OF EACH OF THE 42 NATURE PRESERVES AND NATURAL AREAS AND EACH OF THE 74 CONSERVATION EASEMENT PROPERTIES. TREATMENT OF 8 ACRES OF INVASIVE PHRAGMITES ACROSS SEVERAL NATURE PRESERVES WAS COMPLETED. IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CHICAGO BOTANIC GARDEN, VOLUNTEERS HELPED PLANT AND WATER OVER 1,000 PLANTS, RAISED FROM SEED COLLECTED IN DOOR COUNTY, AS PART OF A RESTORATION PLANTING AT STURGEON BAY SHIP CANAL NATURE PRESERVE.